Ash tray



J. D. GERAHTY ASH TRAY Filed Dec. 5, 19142 INVENToR. ./mfs fiera/zig Sept. 14, 1943.

Patented Sept. 14, 19743 Aquatray, Incorporated, New York, N. Y.,a cor-- poration of New York i v Application December 5, 1942,*SerialNdfl'gMS (o1. 1er- 236) V Y Claims.

I invention relates to that type of ash tray 7 whichutilizes a trough, well or other receptacle associated therewith o1' forming a part thereof land.r adapted tocontain an extinguishing fluid, such as ordinary water, whereby the lighted yend `of a cigarette or cigar may be eficaciouslyrand expeditiously extinguished by simply dipping it in the fiuid before the cigarette or cigar is discarded. This is eiective inl preventing any possible conflagration, which might well prove to be both yserious and expensive, occasioned by the discarding, either by design or by inadvertence, of lighted or partially lighted cigarettes or cigars and also itjeliminates anypossibility of disagreeable odors emanating from them beiore they'have'been completely extinguished. v g i i' The principal object of thefinventionis the production of an ash tray of the character indicated above in which the Weller receptacle hold- Ving the Yextinguishing fluid is positioned centrally of the ash tray'whereby ready access maybe had thereto from, any side of the ash tray.

' A further object of the invention is the production of an ash tray of the general character referred to above in which the.' centrally disposed well or receptacle is removably and rigidly jheld innposition by any suitable means provided in the base ofthe ashtray whereby the well or receptacle may rbe easily removed for filling or other purposes independently of the` ash strayproper.

Still 'af'further object of the invention lies in the combiningwith an ash tray of the general character described of a holder for cigars or cigarettes which maybe removable and which shall be adapted to Abe supported by the extinguishing fiuid well or receptacle and which4 shall constitute, in addition, a shield or screen, preferably plate-like in character, and so dimensioned and positioned as to permit discarded cigarettes, cigars, burnt matches or other refuse to be dropped into the ash tray without removal of the shield or screen while permitting it to act in hiding from view the unsightly and discarded contents of the Aash tray.

To the above and other ends the present invention consists in the novel ash tray hereinafter described in detail and then specied in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ash tray embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. k

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig.4 is a view similar'to Fig. 2 but showing a modification and also omitting the cigaretteholding plate constituting a screen or shield.

Ihe ashtray and parts thereof may be formed of anysuitable materialsuch as metal, metaly alloys, glass, plastics, porcelain, synthetic materials,

- or even wood but itis preferable, for obvious reasons, that the material be of a non-inflammable character. The base of said ash tray is indicated at Ill andl it is preferably, although not necessarily, rectangularin configuration. The sidewalls, whichmay be somewhat inclined, as illustrated, extend upwardly and outwardly from said base IVI) and are indicated at II. Said'side walls arel preferably integral with said base and with eachother. The base Il) is provided with a bead or vridge I2 positioned centrally thereof and rectangular in configuration which is adapted to receive and frictionally hold and support the lower end of an extinguishing fluid trough or well I 3 holdingwextinguishing uid, such as water, and as is indicated-at I4. The upper end of said well or receptaclell?. is open 'and the free edges of its walls are provided with inwardlyextending beads forming a continuous-bead I5. "As the well or re,

ceptacle is rmly'held to the' base by friction only it may be readily and easily detached from said base for cleaning and'filling purposes.

- IB indicatesA la cigarette-holding plate which also constitutesv a screen orishield provided with a plurality/of suitablyformed grooves I'I therein forreceivingI and supporting cigarettes or cigars andthe like.` A downwardly dependingrectangularly-shaped four-walled flange II is provided whichpreferably is'integral with the screen or shield and is ofva size adapting it to extend downwardly within the `well Yand to 'frictionally engage the bead I5 on the upper end of the well or receptacle. Said four-walled flange I1' provides orforms the walls of an opening I 8 which extends through the screen or shield and is of a size adapting it to receivey the lighted end of a cigarette, or in some cases, of a cigar. The side edges of the screen or shield I6 preferably terminate adjacent the upper ends of the walls I I but the material which ordinarily would constitute the corners thereof has been removed or cut away to form inclinations I9 providing spaces between said inclinations andthe corners formed by the meeting edges of adjacent Walls Il whereby discarded cigarettes, cigars, burnt matches or other refuse maybe dropped or thrown within such spaces whereupon they will fall or slide down the inclined sides I I and will come to rest on the base of said ash tray and into such 'position as to be substantially hidden from view by the screen or shield I6.

It will' be noted that the ange l1 is frictionally engaged within the Well or receptacle only at a single and continuous line of contact of relatively small area and provided by the bead I5. This permits of the easy removal of the screen or shield I6 from the Well or receptacle, Without danger of the sticking together of the engaged parts, for cleaning or other purposes while providing means for rigidly and iirmly holding the screen or shield in normal and operative position. In some cases, instead of proyiding the base I with a bead I2, as described, I prefer to provide the base with a socket 20 as illustrated in the modification shown in Fig. 4. Said socket performs the same function as the bead I2 in that it removably receives and frictionally and rmly holds the lower end of the well or receptacle I3 in pro-per and operative position.

The construction of ashtray described-is particularly desirable in that it contains but three parts each of which is removable from the others so that the device requires butlslight care. and,

attention as it is merely necessary to occasionally reiill the Well or receptacle with extinguishing iiuid and to periodically remove the refuse which has accumulated on the base of the ash tray. Also, each o the three parts may be washed .or cleaned individually, as is manifest. In use, and as is obvious, when a cigarette is to be discarded after use it is first extinguished by merely inserting. its lighted end within the opening I8 and immersing it in the extinguishing uid. It is then withdrawn 'and discarded through any of `the f openings provided intermediate the inclinations ISII of the shield or screen-and the corners provided by the intersecting.inclinedsides of the bodyy of the ash tray al1 as previously. described in detail. .Y

rEhe ash tray itself has a pleasing and ornamental appearance, its objectionable contents in e the form of refuse are normally hidden from view by a platewhichalso provides a support for cigarettes and the like and it may be manufactured in quantities `both cheaply and expeditiously. f The invention V:claimed is:

l. An 'ash tray having abase and a wall extending upwardly therefrom, ran open-endedvwell containing extinguishing fluid and supported by said base and spaced .from said Wall andraY platelike device removably supported by said Well and adapted to. hold 'a cigarette or the like and provided With an opening therein registering with said Well to permit access'tov the extinguishing iluid therein, said'plate-like device extending lat erally from said well and `hiding said basefrom iiuid therein, said device extending laterally from said Well and terminating adjacent said Wall and shielding said base from View and having a portion thereof forming an opening with said wall for reception of discarded articles.

3. An ash tray having a base and a rectangularly-shaped inclined Wall extending upwardly therefrom, an extinguishing iluid well frictionally and removably supported by said base substantially centrally thereof and a plate-like shield `adapted to support a cigarette or the like having holding means detachably received by said well and provided with an opening therein registering with said well, said shield extending laterally from said well and terminating adjacent said Wall and acting as a cover to shield said base and well from view and having portions thereof forming openings with the corners of said wall for reception of discarded articles.

4. An ash tray having a base and a. Wall extending upwardly therefrom, an extinguishing fluid open-ended Well supported by said base, an inwardly extending bead on said Well adjacent its upper edge, Aa cigarette-holding shield covering said base and Well and provided with an opening therein registering with said Welland a downwardly depending positioning and holding flange on said shield frictionallyengaging said head.

5. An ash tray having a base with a socket positioned substantially centrally thereof and a rectangularly shaped inclined wall extending up- Wardly from said base, an open-ended well containing extinguishing fluid and removably'supported by said socket and a plate-like shield for supporting a cigarette or the like and having holding means detachably received by said Well and provided `with an opening therein registering with said well to permit access to the extinguishing iu'd therein, said shield extending laterally from said Well and terminating adjacent said Wall and acting as a cover to shield said base and well from view and having a portion thereof forming an opening with a corner of said wall for reception of discarded articles.

JAMES D. GERAHTY. 

